been given to the entire membership of the Order to thoroughly investigate the work and study its merits, it is expected that the delegates to this Convention are prepared to act intelligently in the matter of its adoption.

RED BOOK.

The Red Book, by Past National President Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer (specimen pages of which were presented to Eighth National Convention), was approved, and a committee appointed to review, correct and officially endorse the same. The book proved to be far more extensive than was at first anticipated, but went to press early in the year, and has been in the hands of the committee since February. No official report having been received at National Headquarters, the issuing of this valuable work is still delayed, and its publication will rest with this Convention.

INCREASE OF THE ORDER.

The membership of our Order has steadily increased in numbers and influence during the year, and is represented in every State of the Union but one, Alabama, - and all the Territories except Indian, Idaho and Alaska. Even Canada claims its Post and auxiliary Corps (General Hancock, G. A. R. and W. R. C., Montreal), which are attached to the Department of Vermont.

362 Corps have been instituted during the year, with a membership of 7200.

DETACHED CORPS.

From the Secretary's statement it will be seen that at the close of the quarter ending June 30, 1891, there were 43 Corps reporting directly to National Headquarters. This represents work equal to that of many Department Secretaries, and nearly doubles the regular work of consolidating quarterly reports. To lessen the labor in this direction, I decided to establish, wherever possible, Provisional Departments.

WORK AMONG THE COLORED PEOPLE.

There are auxiliary to Posts of colored veterans

12 Corps in Virginia,

4 Corps in the Carolinas,

3 Corps in Florida,

3 Corps in Louisiana,

2 Corps in Tennessee,

1 Corps each in Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi: making a total of 27 Corps, aside from those belonging to regularly organized Departments.

Seven of these have been instituted this year.

Their ritualistic work may be imperfect, but their zeal and loyalty are undoubted, and they accomplish much good in their own way among their own people. Past Nat'l S. V. Commander

Allen says, "There are many Posts in Virginia that could not retain their organization were it not for their auxiliaries." From the reports of Mrs. Lizabeth A. Turner, Nat'l S. V. President, and Maria L. Jordan, Washington, D. C., who have so cheerfully assisted in the inspection and instruction of many of these Corps, may be gleaned items of interest to us as an organization, and suggest subjects for careful thought in this particular branch of our work. Surrounded by conditions and environments peculiar to their locations, great care must be exercised in establishing their status in the Woman's Relief Corps, lest we lose sight of one of the fundamental principles of our Order, and of the government these loyal Comrades helped to preserve.

The difficulty of regular inspection of the Corps in Virginia, was overcome by continuing the plan adopted by the Seventh National Convention and carried out last year. A School of Instruction by Miss Maria L. Jordan, W. R. C. No. 1, Washington, D. C., was held at Norfolk, this location being convenient to nearly all the Corps in Virginia and some of those in Carolina. The meeting was well attended, and it is hoped good results will follow as time and opportunities increase. This mode of instruction brings the ritualistic and statistical part of the work before those best calculated to appreciate and receive it. They in turn

carry it to their respective Corps. One member in each Corps thus instructed is of more value to the Order than it would be possible to bring about through a regular inspection.

Mrs. Lizabeth A. Turner, Nat'l S. V. President, visited and inspected all the Corps in the Carolinas and Florida, except W. R. C. No. 1, at Key West, Florida. This Corps has never been visited by a National officer, on account of its great distance from any other Corps and the consequent expense of reaching it. It seems but just that some official recognition should be given to them. They number 99 in membership; their quarterly reports are always on time, and the clerical work excellent, and show a large amount of relief extended.

PROVISIONAL DEPARTMENTS.

A Provisional Department has been established in West Virginia, placing the six Corps already instituted under the supervision of Amanda L. Murdock, President of W. R. C. No. 1, Wheeling, W. Va., Provisional President. They are entitled to charter according to our Rules and Regulations; but owing to the special legislation of Eighth National Convention, a permanent organization was not deemed practical.

W. R. C. No. 1, Helena, Montana, was last year attached to the Department of North Dakota. On hearing of the institution of W. R. C. No. 3, at Livingston, a special order was issued detaching Montana from North Dakota, establishing it a Provisional Department, and appointing Mrs. Isabella Kirkendall, of W. R. C. No. 1, Helena, Montana, Provisional President.

Four Corps having been instituted in Arkansas, a Provisional Department was established, and Mrs. Julia Thompson, President of W. R. C. No. 1, Texarkana, Arkansas, appointed Provisional President.

There are now three Corps in Arizona; and, as the Department, G. A. R., have been for several years working under a regular charter, I deemed it best for the interests of our work that they be detached from the Department of California, and an opportunity given to arrange for a Provisional Department.

Virginia, with its 13 Corps reporting directly to National Headquarters, augments largely the work of the National Secretary. In correspondence with some of their members, I became convinced that there were women among the Corps of this Department capable of carrying on organized work, and have given the 12 Corps auxiliary to Posts of colored veterans the opportunity of self-government, by establishing a Provisional Department, and appointed Mrs. Mary A. Sample, President W. R. C. No. 9, Savageville, Va., Provisional President.

The outlook in each of these Provisional Departments is in every way most encouraging, and it is hoped that in the near future they will become permanent in their organization and centres from which shall radiate the beneficent influences of Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty.

SPECIAL RELIEF.

The restriction placed upon the National President by act of Eighth National Convention renders it impossible for the National Woman's Relief Corps to do any charity work other than is provided for at each recurring Convention. It would be a very unwise policy to draw from the General Fund (which is never large) an amount commensurate to the breadth of the organization, and the demands that might be made upon it. The calls for assistance are continual; and the saddest feature in our work is our inability to respond to the many meritorious appeals that come to us for help.

The $100 voted from the Jensie Wells Fund to aid a Comrade in Arkansas "falsely charged with murder," was duly forwarded to Department Commander A. S. Fowler; and I have the pleasure to report that Lindsey Gibson was honorably acquitted. In a late letter he desires me to "return to the National Woman's Relief Corps sincere thanks for the aid and sympathy rendered him."

The case of appeal of Elias Wells was remanded back for a new trial, and a change of venue granted from Yell county to the Circuit Court of Johnson county, Arkansas. At this trial a verdict of murder in the second degree was rendered, and the case again appealed to the Supreme Court. A letter from

W. P. Campbell, clerk of Supreme Court, Little Rock, bearing date of May 25, 1891, says, The case will be submitted as soon as the attorneys are ready." To meet the expenses already incurred, I have forwarded from the Wells Fund through the Mayor of Alma, Arkansas, $350 in two payments - $200 to help defray the expenses of first appeal and $150 for the new trial ordered. In no case has money been forwarded until the work was done. From correspondence with those who are acquainted with the case, we are hopeful that he will finally be acquitted.

Twenty-five dollars was forwarded Mary E. Truesdell, a most worthy worker during the war, and for whom our Pension Committee are endeavoring to procure a pension for special services; $45 to Army Nurses deserving special assistance, aside from the quarterly allowances made by the "Home Board," and $5 toward relief of Comrades in Dickey county, North Dakota.

FINANCIAL DEMANDS.

The appeals for Memorial Day purposes from the several Department Commanders, within whose jurisdiction many of the National Cemeteries, with their tens of thousands of Union soldiers' graves, are located, could not be endorsed by me, by reason of the necessity of placing them before the National Council for approval - the time being too limited to accomplish the clerical work required in all such cases, and the distance these official documents have to be transmitted- and in case of approval the money therefor would have to be taken from the General Fund in the National Treasury, instead of a sympathetic response from the local Corps. It is hoped a like embarrassment will not occur in coming administrations. We may not control the outpouring of love and loyalty as expressed in the Memorial Day offerings to those who "sleep in Southern soil," but it should pass through the proper channels and receive the encouragement and endorsement from National officers it so richly deserves. The sum of $50 is all I could send from National Headquarters under these circumstances, and was taken from my own Head